Wellbeing

Positive Relationships are Protective for Young People

At Kinross Wolaroi School, our commitment to nurturing student wellbeing is grounded in evidence-based frameworks that support holistic development. One such framework is Professor Lea Waters’ Visible Wellbeing SEARCH Framework, which highlights six key pathways to wellbeing: Strengths, Emotional Management, Attention and Awareness, Relationships, Coping, and Habits and Goals.

Positive relationships act as a protective factor for young people. They help children feel safe, connected, and valued. According to research in psychology and neuroscience, when children experience strong, trusting relationships with peers, teachers, and caregivers, they are more likely to engage in learning, take academic risks, and recover from setbacks.

In the SEARCH framework, “Relationships” focuses on building and maintaining healthy, supportive connections. It includes developing empathy, kindness, active listening, and the ability to collaborate and resolve conflict constructively. These relational skills form the foundation of a positive school culture and are essential for students to thrive socially and emotionally.

Why does this matter in a school setting? Because learning is a social process. Students don’t just learn from books or devices – they learn through interaction, collaboration, and meaningful connection with others. When students feel a sense of belonging and relational safety at school, they are more likely to be motivated, focused, and resilient in the face of challenges. Relationships impact not only mental health and emotional regulation, but also cognitive performance, memory retention, and classroom engagement.

As parents and carers, you play a crucial role in modelling and supporting healthy relationships. Encouraging open communication at home, guiding children through conflict with compassion, and celebrating acts of kindness can reinforce what we teach at school. Together, we can help students learn that strong relationships aren’t just ‘nice to have’ – they are key to wellbeing and success.

Throughout their schooling career, students will be engaging in activities and conversations that help them understand and strengthen their relational skills – from exploring friendship dynamics to developing strategies for empathy, collaboration, and conflict resolution.

We invite you to join us in nurturing these important skills by talking with your child about the relationships in their life, and what helps them feel seen, heard, and supported. When young people feel genuinely connected, they grow in confidence, cope better with challenges, and are more open to learning.

Parent Webinar Series

I am delighted to share with you the next series of webinars from Elevate Education, who deliver high impact workshops to our students that help develop their study skills, motivation and exam preparation. Over the next term you are invited to join their parent webinar series where you can support your child at home by reinforcing the skills they are learning at school. See dates, details and registration link below.

Register today at: https://go.elevateeducation.com/auschoolwebinars

Sleep Health Week - Live Webinar

High-quality, regularised sleep plays a vital role in adolescent wellbeing and many teens are not getting the recommended 8–10 hours of sleep each night or sleeping and waking at consistent times. So, to mark Sleep Health Week, on Monday 11 August at 4 pm, the Black Dog Institute and the Sleep Health Foundation are co-hosting a free 45-minute live webinar for teachers and parents: Sleep On It: The Missing Link in Student Wellbeing.

The session will:

• Highlight key sleep-related findings from the recent Future Proofing Study
• Suggest strategies parents can use to support teen sleep at home
• Introduce Sleep Ninja for the Classroom – a new curriculum-aligned program with engaging lessons on sleep for Years 5–8, available from 2026

When registering, participants can submit questions for the panellists to address during the session.

Presenters include: 

Kate Maston, Black Dog Institute Psychologist and Future Proofing Program Manager

Kayla Grant, PDHPE Teacher and Wellbeing Advisor

Dr Linda Schachter, Sleep and Respiratory Physician

Dr Moira Junge, Sleep Health Foundation CEO and Health Psychologist (Facilitator)

Register here: Webinar Registration - Zoom